WAFU reschedules tourney after Liberia and Sierra Leone were stranded for visas  

Danesius Marteh

The West African Football Union (WAFU) have rescheduled the 2025 Zone ‘A’ Women’s Cup in Nouakchott, Mauritania after Liberia and Sierra Leone were stranded in obtaining visas.

The tournament, which should have been held from 19-31 May, will run from 22-31 May.

Liberia and Sierra Leone’s women’s senior national teams are stranded in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and Conakry, Guinea.

The Liberia Football Association (LFA), which didn’t disclose its delegation (headed by Vice President Jodie Reid-Seton) in keeping with what is becoming a normal operating procedure and didn’t say it was transiting for visas, is expected to leave on 19 May, having been in Abidjan since 15 May.

Sierra Leone, which announced its departure on 16 May, has been stranded in Conakry and is expected to leave on 21 May.

The LFA only found comfort to explain the difficulties it was encountering in obtaining visas after our report on the team’s situation.

SLFA confirmed that their team was stranded and it had opened a temporary training camp after journalist Hawa Dauda reported that Sierra Queens were stranded in obtaining visas in Conakry.

The LFA and its supporters against our report on the team’s situation bragged that WAFU would have issued a release that was going to vindicate it but WAFU simply rescheduled the tournament without explaining why it did so.   

Liberia are in Group ‘A’ along with Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau and Mali with game one against Guinea Bissau at Stade Ksar at 16:00GMT on 22 May.

Sierra Leone are in Group ‘B’ along with Senegal, Guinea and Gambia with game one against Gambia at Stade Ksar at 19:00GMT on 22 May.

All participating countries, including Gambia who arrived in Nouakchott on 17 May, are in Mauritania.

Morale among the Liberian players is at an all-time low as the LFA provided US$200 as perdiems.

LFA President Mustapha Raji is a WAFU vice president and a CAF executive committee member.

The full squad

Goalkeepers: Anita Davis and Albertha Pratt

Defenders: Aline J. Capehart, Sangay Moulton, Diamond Dahn, Margaret Stewart, Ditta Langama, Francisca T. Howe and Choice Tokpah

Midfielders: Louise Brown, Bendu Yantay, Jessica Quachie, Wonder Juery, Coslyn Bardy and Christine D. Kouadio

Forwards: Lucy Kikey, Miatta Morris, Delphine G. Glao, Makasian Sayon, Mimi Janice Eiden and Cynthia Weah. – Dispatch.